Anyone who has ever noticed their hair turning grey certainly understands that it doesn’t happen overnight. You do not just wake up suddenly to find grey hairs as though somebody painted for you when you are asleep. It starts with some pigment-deprived hair, while other hair grows normally in its full colour. As your grey hair starts to grow more , you might notice a distinct demarcation line where the grey ended and your grey hair began.

Going grey is not an easy process. However, you will realize that it occurred, you may feel very very surprised or shocked. You may decide right away that you want to dye the hair to conceal them, or you might consider accepting these grey hair. When your roots reach about one inch in length, you may notice a salt-and-pepper patterning to your natural hair and begin having the inspiration of going grey.

Here’s how you can get started:

1. A hair “colour correction” can help you overcome your impatience to grow it out.

Allowing the roots to grow would have been the most cost-effective, but it wouldn’t have been the most trendy. People will let the roots grow for about an inch or two and then have a pixie-cut and move on to embrace the grey. They may not feel ready for a drastic transformation in colour and cut. You have the option to basically have a “colour correction” on your hair. However, instead of changing your natural or dyed colouring, your colourists will fix it to be closer to the grey shade it is growing in.

2. The transition process can be compared to getting highlights.

The colourist may add baby highlights to your hairs to match the salt and pepper look of the roots for an all over effect. The colourist will finish the lifting process by applying dark brown hair dye to the rest of the hair for an all over salt and pepper look. Eventually, after the foils are removed and hair has been rinsed, a toner will apply to the highlights to transform them into cool grey and/or silver.

The experience you have may differ depending on what colour you’re trying to transition away from. Even if you are ready to go for it, it’s possible to take a while to get the process started. Get at least two inches of growth before you start getting the highlights.

 3. It can be time-consuming and costly.

If you have never dyed your hair before you might be surprised at how long it takes. You might spend up to 5 to 7 hours in the hair salon. This is because the work involved can be very intense and challenging. The price tag is about $500 and it will also depend on your hair length, your base colour and the experience level of your colourist.

The first highlighting session is not the end of the story as to achieve the ultimate salt and pepper hair goals, it may take a few sittings. It can take from six months up to one year to completely transit from your base colour to grey. There are however simpler and less costly ways to transition from one base colour to the grey.

4. Before your colour can be fully grown, it will need some maintenance.

As with platinum and other cool blonde shades, the grey “highlights” can get a little brassy. The root cause is due to the grey-toner starting to lose effectiveness that results in the highlighted parts becoming a little yellow. Your colourist could also suggest more toner or glosses in the middle of your grey transition process. Glossing every now and again is the best way to prevent brassiness.

Another important tip that helps to keep warm yellows at bay is by using a purple tone shampoo. This reduces brassiness while keeping your grey a stunning silver tone.

5. It’s a correction, but worth it.

Similarly, like when you have any new hair colour, you might notice that the normal way you do your makeup and hair may become less flattering than you think.

Grey hair needs to be ironed, styled or blown out with makeup on. Or else you might find yourself looking much older than your normal self. With the grey hair, there may be certain patterns or colours that aren’t flattering on you anymore. White, grey, or black are universal colours that will certainly look great on your grey hair. However it might be difficult to decide on the right bright colours that can match your new grey look.

Most people won’t have the patience, so they choose to colour their hair again. But it can be extremely rewarding if it is possible to keep it up and work with your colourist to get highlights once in a while.

If you are looking to save money and simply grow your hair without going to the salon, it’s a good idea for you to apply a root touch-up to the newly grown out.

Depending on the person’s base hair colour and their grey level, it may be possible for them to blend in [their] roots over a period of five to six weeks. After that, we suggest a shorter haircut like a short pixie, along with regular trims till it grows out. This will allow your hair to grow out naturally. Be aware that any at-home hair colour that’s not temporary can hinder your growing out process.